Microadventure: Kayaking Valdez Glacier Lake

After nearly two weeks of exploring Alaska with clear skies, we finally encountered some weather down in Valdez. Most people think of Valdez and the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill when a tanker hit a reef off the coast. Besides the Trans-Alaska Pipeline terminating in Valdez, there is a strong fishing industry with a fish hatchery in town. Valdez is small, with just under 4,000 full time residents, so we were able to see the whole town in a few days.

We cruised in on Fourth of July with no organized plans for camping or activities. Valdez is the waterfall capital of Alaska because it’s in a rainforest and trapped in a sound socking it in with rain and fog. We ended up finding a sweet riverside campsite for a few days for free and got some free fireworks from the locals. Valdez sits at the head of a fjord in the Prince William Sound and is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains. It’s a rainforest and rains in the summer are common, which is why fireworks were allowed in the area with a lower risk of wildfire. So people lit them off all night long. Because daylight lasts so long in Alaska, most towns don’t do fireworks for the Fourth of July and instead do then around winter holidays and New Years when its dark.

As we explored around the harbor, we checked out options for glacier kayaking. Based on availability, time on the water and cost, we decided on a half day Valdez Glacier Lake kayak tour with Anadyr Adventures. Even with a consistent light rain, it ended up being a great day. We showed up and got paired with a tour guide who was a born-and-raised Valdezian with tons of knowledge and history about the local community. We got kitted out with full rain pants, jackets, and knee high boots on top of our warm clothes. Once out on the lake, we got a safety briefing as well as a pair of neoprene pogies, or kayaking mittens to keep our hands warm. They worked really well and without them, we all would have been miserable.

Mary and I each took a kid with us and they also helped paddle. We learned so much about glaciers along the way:

• A dirty, rocky glacier is a safe glacier because its more stable than a white one.
• A blue glacier means that it recently flipped and is not very stable to be near.
• In a fresh water lake, like Valdez Glacier Lake, icebergs can float around and exist for 2-4 years. In salt water, they will melt within a few days.

After a short break with some hot chocolate and snacks, we hiked to a nice viewpoint and saw the terminus of the Valdez Glacier before paddling back to shore. Although we had a tour guide and rented equipment, anyone can come and do this on their own for free with the proper equipment.